Pope Francis holds 'brotherly encounter' with Jesuits in Indonesia
By Salvatore Cernuzio and Devin Watkins
Pope Francis met Wednesday with members of the Society of Jesus serving in Indonesia, as he continues his Apostolic Journey to the country.
The encounter took place at the Apostolic Nunciature in Jakarta following his meeting with Indonesia's authorities, civil society, and diplomatic corps at the presidential palace.
Among those present at the Nunciature was Cardinal Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja, SJ, the 89-year-old Archbishop Emeritus of Jakarta (1996-2010).
As he usually does, the Pope spoke with the Jesuits privately for around an hour and answered several questions.
‘Brotherly visit among confreres’
According to Fr. Antonio Spadaro, SJ, Undersecretary of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, the encounter was warm and familiar.
“Pope Francis is always very relaxed,” Fr. Spadaro told Pope. “He feels at home, so he is able to give his initial feedback on the visit.”
With his Indonesian confreres, he added, the Pope expressed his surprise and joy at seeing so many young people.
“It is perhaps what struck me the most,” he said. “The Holy Father noticed how young the Jesuits in formation in Indonesia are,” said Fr. Spadaro.
He said the Pope spoke about the Society of Jesus and the importance of discernment and prayer.
“The youngest among them asked him where he finds the time to pray, and he shared a few anecdotes," explained Fr. Spadaro, noting that the topics discussed were connected to other important issues in Indonesia, “such as interreligious dialogue or inculturation, on which he insisted a great deal.”
“Pope Francis,” added the Jesuit priest, “loves those Churches that I call the 'zero point' (0.…%) Churches. In Indonesia we are at 3%, so a small percentage of the population, but which still amounts to 8 million Catholics, and there is a significant presence within the country. The goal of the Christian,” continued Fr. Spadaro, “is to contribute to the growth of the country, to be like leaven mixed into the dough, and this is truly important for the Pope. The message for Christians is to fully collaborate for the common good, beyond the numbers; for the Holy Father, what matters is vitality, the generative capacity.”
The Pope is scheduled to hold two more meeting with Jesuits, one in Timor-Leste and another Singapore.
Fr. Spadaro expressed appreciation for the Pope’s “gaze” into the particularities of local Churches.
“Pope Francis sees a possibility in this land, the possibility of harmony within a pluralistic context,” he said. “Even the president spoke today about harmony and pluralism. I believe there is hope here for a future that is so threatened, at a time when the world is divided and fractured. So the Pope’s eyes are very open to reality and the search for a future.”
A full transcript of the Holy Father’s meeting with Jesuits is typically published in the Jesuit review La Civiltà Cattolica a couple of weeks after he returns to Rome.
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